Sweeping pro-consumer passenger rules come into effect from 23rd August, 2011. US Dept of Transportation requires airlines to refund baggage fees for lost luggage and shell out considerably more for involuntarily bumping passengers on overbooked flights.
The U.S. Department of Transportation's pro-consumer passenger rights come into effect from today, August 23.
New passenger rights will necessitate the airlines to refund baggage fees for lost checked luggage as well as to pay more for bumping involuntary passengers on overbooked flights.
The department can now also inflict hefty fines on international flights that wait on the airport tarmac for more than four hours. Carriers will additionally be required to clearly exhibit fee charged on everything from checking a bag to reserving a seat to buying food. The pro-passenger rules are formulated to shield airline travellers from unfair and deceptive practices.
Lost Luggage
Airlines will now have to refund baggage fees for lost luggage. Currently, the airline compensates travellers only for lost or damaged belongings.
New rules do not take into account those travellers whose baggage is delayed. In effect, only a very few percentage of travellers are perhaps going to benefit from this new rule. As per reports not more than 1% of the checked baggage is declared 'lost' by the airline and this process can itself take weeks.
It has been argued by the airlines that since there are no guarantee of the luggage travelling on the same flight with the passenger they must be allowed to keep the fee for delayed baggage.
Bumped From Flights
Travellers who are involuntarily deprived of boarding even when they are in a possession of a valid ticket will get considerably more compensation from airlines under the new rules. If an airline is not able to offer another flight to the passenger within two hours for domestic travel and four hours for international flights, the passenger will now be entitled to cash compensation of four times the value of ticket up to $1,300. The current decree requires the airline to pay double the ticket value up to $800 for long delays.
For more information visit here
The U.S. Department of Transportation's pro-consumer passenger rights come into effect from today, August 23.
New passenger rights will necessitate the airlines to refund baggage fees for lost checked luggage as well as to pay more for bumping involuntary passengers on overbooked flights.
The department can now also inflict hefty fines on international flights that wait on the airport tarmac for more than four hours. Carriers will additionally be required to clearly exhibit fee charged on everything from checking a bag to reserving a seat to buying food. The pro-passenger rules are formulated to shield airline travellers from unfair and deceptive practices.
Lost Luggage
Airlines will now have to refund baggage fees for lost luggage. Currently, the airline compensates travellers only for lost or damaged belongings.
New rules do not take into account those travellers whose baggage is delayed. In effect, only a very few percentage of travellers are perhaps going to benefit from this new rule. As per reports not more than 1% of the checked baggage is declared 'lost' by the airline and this process can itself take weeks.
It has been argued by the airlines that since there are no guarantee of the luggage travelling on the same flight with the passenger they must be allowed to keep the fee for delayed baggage.
Bumped From Flights
Travellers who are involuntarily deprived of boarding even when they are in a possession of a valid ticket will get considerably more compensation from airlines under the new rules. If an airline is not able to offer another flight to the passenger within two hours for domestic travel and four hours for international flights, the passenger will now be entitled to cash compensation of four times the value of ticket up to $1,300. The current decree requires the airline to pay double the ticket value up to $800 for long delays.
For more information visit here
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